Guðbjörg Gunnarsdóttir

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This is an Icelandic name. The last name is a patronymic, not a family name; this person is properly referred to by the given name Guðbjörg.
Guðbjörg Gunnarsdóttir
Personal information
Full nameGuðbjörg Gunnarsdóttir
Date of birth (1985-05-18) 18 May 1985
Place of birthHafnarfjörður, Iceland
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Club information
Current clubTurbine Potsdam
Number26
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2000–2002FH23(0)
2002–2008Valur71(0)
2009–2012Djurgårdens IF Dam81(0)
2013Avaldsnes IL21(0)
2014–Turbine Potsdam
National team‡
2000–2002Iceland U-1712(0)
2001–2004Iceland U-1914(0)
2003–2006Iceland U-2111(0)
2004–Iceland27(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 August 2009.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13:12, 21 July 2013 (UTC)

Guðbjörg "Gugga" Gunnarsdóttir (born 18 May 1985) is an Icelandic footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Iceland's national team. She represented her country in the 2009 and 2013 editions of the UEFA Women's Championship. At club level Guðbjörg represents Turbine Potsdam of the German Frauen-Bundesliga, whom she joined from Norwegian Toppserien club Avaldsnes IL. She previously played for Djurgårdens IF Dam of Sweden's Damallsvenskan.

Club career

Beginning her club career with FH, Guðbjörg made 23 Úrvalsdeild appearances before signing for Valur in summer 2002.[1] At Valur she overcame a series of injuries to claim four Úrvalsdeild winner's medals and one Icelandic Women's Cup winner's medal. She moved to Swedish Damallsvenskan club Djurgårdens IF Dam ahead of the 2009 season.

Guðbjörg (centre) playing for Djurgårdens in October 2012

Guðbjörg developed an affinity for Djurgårdens and was proud to captain the club. But several other players left due to economic downsizing and when the club was relegated in 2012 she had to leave to protect her national team place.[2]

In early 2013 Guðbjörg moved to Norway to play for wealthy Toppserien newcomers Avaldsnes IL. She also had offers from clubs in Sweden, Germany and Russia.[3]

After one season in Norway, Guðbjörg announced a move to the German club Turbine Potsdam in December 2013. She signed a contract to run for one and a half seasons from 1 January 2014, telling UEFA.com: "If one of the best teams in the world makes you an offer, you cannot say no."[4]

International career

Playing a Group stage game against Germany in the UEFA Women's Euro 2013 at Myresjöhus Arena in Växjö.

Guðbjörg made her senior international debut for Iceland in a 5–1 friendly win over Scotland at the Egilshöll Arena in March 2004.

At UEFA Women's Euro 2009, Guðbjörg played in one match as Iceland were eliminated in the first round.[5]

National team coach Siggi Eyjólfsson selected Guðbjörg in the Iceland squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2013,[6] while rival goalkeeper Þóra Björg Helgadóttir was recovering from a hamstring injury.[7] Guðbjörg took the goalkeeping position at the final tournament, playing in all three group matches and the 4–0 quarter-final defeat to hosts Sweden. The Swedish press hailed her as one of the best players at the competition.[8]

Honours

References

  1. ↑ "Guðbjörg Gunnarsdóttir". MBL.is (in Icelandic). Morgunblaðið. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013. 
  2. ↑ "Fékk loksins tækifærið". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Fréttablaðið. 20 July 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013. 
  3. ↑ Fussgänger, Rainer (26 December 2012). ""Gugga" blir heltidsproffs i Norge" (in Swedish). Damfotboll.com. Retrieved 30 October 2013. 
  4. ↑ "Potsdam take on Gunnarsdóttir". uefa.com. UEFA. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013. 
  5. ↑ "Gudbjörg Gunnarsdóttir". uefa.com. UEFA. Retrieved 29 October 2013. 
  6. ↑ Stefánsson, Stefán (24 June 2013). "Familiar squad for Iceland". uefa.com. UEFA. Retrieved 29 October 2013. 
  7. ↑ "Helgadóttir: Iceland want more". UEFA.com. UEFA. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013. 
  8. ↑ "Guðbjörg í hópi þeirra bestu". MBL.is (in Icelandic). Morgunblaðið. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013. 

External links

1. FFC Turbine Potsdam – current squad
Iceland squad – 2009 UEFA Women's European Championship
Iceland
Iceland squad – 2013 UEFA Women's European Championship
Iceland
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